Hot New Sires of 2013 - Kodiak Kowboy

Photo: Eclipse Spotswire
While the nation is in the grip of Triple Crown fever, the next generation is quietly taking their positions on the track. Like the springtime flowers, races for two year olds are sprouting at racetracks across the nation. Starting in July, the two year olds will be out in full force when Saratoga and Del Mar open. It can be almost impossible to handicap a race when there's no previous form. Canny handicappers look at the pedigrees of these youngsters for precocity. But what if the juvenile is by a first crop sire? Will they want to win early or take to the surface? Over the next month, I'll showcase some of the first crop sires whose offspring should show early promise. This week, we'll start with Kodiak Kowboy.
KODIAK KOWBOY (Posse - Kokadrie, by Coronado's Quest)
 
Career:
Kodiak Kowboy won his second start in late May at Churchill traveling 4 ½ furlongs. He jumped directly into stakes competition, winning the Victoria Stakes over the Woodbine Polytrack. A month later, he traveled back to Kentucky to grab the Bashford Manor Stakes (G-3). The Steve Asmussen trainee then journeyed to Saratoga and defeated rivals in the Saratoga Special (G-2) by three lengths despite being steadied behind horses. All of the travel caught up to the young colt when he tasted defeat in the Futurity Stakes (G-2) at Belmont, finishing second. Kodiak Kowboy finished out his two year old season in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G-1), swimming to a third place finish behind War Pass over the sloppy Monmouth Park surface. Kodiak Kowboy was awarded Champion Juvenile honors in Canada for his exploits.
Kodiak Kowboy was wisely kept off of the Triple Crown trail due to his precocious sprinter/miler pedigree. As a three year old, he captured the Sport Page (G-3) and Amsterdam Stakes (G-2) and at four, earned his first Grade 1 win in the Carter Handicap. The son of Possee closed out his career with victories in the Vosburgh Stakes (G-1) and Cigar Mile (G-1) to earn Champion Male Sprinter honors. Kodiak Kowboy retired with a record of 23-11-4-3 ($1,663,363).
Career Highlights:
1st - Cigar Mile (G-1) 8F
1st Carter Handicap (G-1) 7F
1st - Vosburgh Stakes (G-1) 6F
1st – Amsterdam Stakes (G-2) 6.5F
1st – Saratoga Special (G-2) 6.5F
1st – Bashford Manor Stakes (G-3) 6F
2007 - Champion Two Year Old in Canada
2009 - Eclipse Champion Male Sprinter
Pedigree:
Kodiak Kowboy owns a speed over middle-distance pedigree. His sire Posse is noted for getting precocious babies that are distance challenged. Besides Kodiak Kowboy, Posse has sired Breeders' Cup Mile hero Caleb's Posse, Del Mar Futurity (G-1) winner Rolling Fog and Grade 2 winner No Advantage.
 
Posse, a son of Silver Deputy from the Northern Dancer sire line, is a young stallion. Kodiak Kowboy is his first prominent son to stand at stud. The bloodline cross of Posse over Coronado's Quest mares has resulted in four starters, all winners and one stakes winner.
Kodiak Kowboy doesn't have any notable siblings and his dam Kokadrie is unraced. However, Kokadrie is a half sister to the sire West by West, a multiple graded stakes winner from distances ranging between a mile and 1 1/8 miles. Besides West by West, Kodiak Kowboy is most accomplished runner in his distaff family in four generations.
 
 
 
 
Kodiak Kowboy's damsire, the well bred Coronado's Quest (Forty Niner – Laughing Look, by Damascus) won stakes races from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. He competed at the highest levels, defeating Belmont Stakes hero Victory Gallop in both the Haskell and Travers Stakes. Coronado's Quest's daughters bear winners in the sprint/middle distance ranges, although as a damsire he's represented by one stakes winner at 1 ¼ miles. Coronado's Quest is the damsire of the juvenile graded stakes winners Boys At Tosconova and Mani Bhavan, plus recent Churchill Downs Handicap hero Delaunay, Fountain of Youth winner Soldat and overall 17 stakes winners.
How to bet his offspring:
   
Kodiak Kowboy has 52 foals in his first crop. Only eight of his two year olds went through the sales ring, bringing between $20K - $140K. Two were RNA (reserve not attained).
Surfaces:
Dirt: Kodiak Kowboy made the majority of his starts over dirt. His pedigree in the first three generations is solid with dirt attributes.
 
The stallion competed five times over an off track with a 1-1-2 record. While this isn't terrible, it isn't spectacular either. Very few of his dam's half siblings handled mud. Kodiak Kowboy's offspring may be average/poor over mud surfaces, so look closely at each individual's distaff line for mud affinity.
Turf: Kodiak Kowboy didn't compete over the turf. There's some turf breeding about four generations back in his pedigree and one of his dam's half siblings competed over turf in France. As with the mud, look at each individual's distaff line for turf attributes.
Synthetic: Kodiak Kowboy won one of three starts over Polytrack. Some of his babies will handle the surface, but most will be average over Polytrack. They may handle Cushion Track better.
Kodiak Kowboy was named Champion Juvenile in Canada. Expect his babies to come out of the gate running. They'll be quick and precocious distance - challenged sprinters. Dirt will likely be their best surface. A few may like the mud, turf or polytrack, but they will be the exceptions.
Currently four of Kodiak Kowboy's babies have started and one has visited the winner's circle. His daughter Bear Facts (out of I'vegothemusicinme, by Champion Juvenile Boston Harbor) won a 4 ½ furlong trial at Turf Paradise.
 

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